diff --git a/.github/workflows/go-ci-windows.yml b/.github/workflows/go-ci-windows.yml
index cfcf71d8..df1abae8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/go-ci-windows.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/go-ci-windows.yml
@@ -3,9 +3,25 @@ name: Windows CI
 on:
   push:
     branches: [ "main" ]
+    # only run when backend source changes
+    # cmd/ is excluded because it contains utilities without tests
+    paths:
+      - '**/*.go'
+      - '!cmd/**'
+      - 'go.mod'
+      - 'go.sum'
+      - 'Makefile'
+      - '.github/workflows/go-ci-windows.yml'
 
   pull_request:
     branches: [ "main" ]
+    paths:
+      - '**/*.go'
+      - '!cmd/**'
+      - 'go.mod'
+      - 'go.sum'
+      - 'Makefile'
+      - '.github/workflows/go-ci-windows.yml'
 
   # Allows manual triggering of the workflow
   workflow_dispatch:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/go-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/go-ci.yml
index 4dc1b90c..aa51b1bf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/go-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/go-ci.yml
@@ -3,9 +3,25 @@ name: Linux CI
 on:
   push:
     branches: [ "main" ]
+    # only run when backend source changes
+    # cmd/ is excluded because it contains utilities without tests
+    paths:
+      - '**/*.go'
+      - '!cmd/**'
+      - 'go.mod'
+      - 'go.sum'
+      - 'Makefile'
+      - '.github/workflows/go-ci.yml'
 
   pull_request:
     branches: [ "main" ]
+    paths:
+      - '**/*.go'
+      - '!cmd/**'
+      - 'go.mod'
+      - 'go.sum'
+      - 'Makefile'
+      - '.github/workflows/go-ci.yml'
 
   # Allows manual triggering of the workflow
   workflow_dispatch:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 14a3534f..1c4c119c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Set up Node.js
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
-          node-version: "23"
+          node-version: "24"
       - name: Install dependencies and build UI
         run: |
           cd ui-svelte
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ui-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/ui-tests.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..235f7b4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/ui-tests.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+name: UI Tests
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [ "main" ]
+    paths:
+      - 'ui-svelte/**'
+      - '.github/workflows/ui-tests.yml'
+
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [ "main" ]
+    paths:
+      - 'ui-svelte/**'
+      - '.github/workflows/ui-tests.yml'
+
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+jobs:
+
+  run-tests:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        working-directory: ui-svelte
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+    - name: Set up Node.js
+      uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+      with:
+        node-version: '24'
+        cache: 'npm'
+        cache-dependency-path: ui-svelte/package-lock.json
+
+    - name: Install dependencies
+      run: npm ci
+
+    - name: Type check
+      run: npm run check
+
+    - name: Run tests
+      run: npm test
diff --git a/ui-svelte/src/components/playground/SpeechInterface.svelte b/ui-svelte/src/components/playground/SpeechInterface.svelte
index 2b9f4ae7..e9ab20a8 100644
--- a/ui-svelte/src/components/playground/SpeechInterface.svelte
+++ b/ui-svelte/src/components/playground/SpeechInterface.svelte
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
   let inputText = $state("");
   let isGenerating = $state(false);
   let generatedAudioUrl = $state<string | null>(null);
-  let generatedText = $state<string | null>(null);
   let generatedVoice = $state<string | null>(null);
   let generatedTimestamp = $state<Date | null>(null);
   let error = $state<string | null>(null);
@@ -148,7 +147,6 @@
 
       // Create object URL for the audio blob and store metadata
       generatedAudioUrl = URL.createObjectURL(audioBlob);
-      generatedText = trimmedText;
       generatedVoice = $selectedVoiceStore;
       generatedTimestamp = new Date();
     } catch (err) {
@@ -167,18 +165,6 @@
     abortController?.abort();
   }
 
-  function clearAudio() {
-    if (generatedAudioUrl) {
-      URL.revokeObjectURL(generatedAudioUrl);
-    }
-    generatedAudioUrl = null;
-    generatedText = null;
-    generatedVoice = null;
-    generatedTimestamp = null;
-    error = null;
-    inputText = "";
-  }
-
   function clearInput() {
     inputText = "";
   }